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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 L. SELLNER. SIGNALING BY MEANS OF LIGHTS.

No. 568,374. Patented Sept. 29, 1896.

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. L. SELLNEB, I.

SIGNALING BY MEANS OF LIGHTS. No. 568,374. I Patented Sept. 29, 1896.

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. L. SELLNER. 'SIGNALINGBY- MEANS OF LIGHTS. No. 568,374. Patented Sept.29,1896.

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L. SELL-NEE SIGNALING BY MEANS OI LIGHTS.

No. 568,374. Patented Sept. 29, 1896.

I Iva/hair)? Z w 70ZaZSeZ67zef I UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEOPOLD SELLNER, )F VIENNA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

'SIGNALING'BY MEANS OF LIGHTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 568,374, datedSeptember 29, 1896.

Application filed November 19, 1895. Serial No. 569,441. (No model.)Patented in Germany August 9, 1894, No; 81,144; in

France August 11, 1894, No. 240,693; in Austria Novem'be XXIX, 37,743,and LXXIV, 75.

To all whom it man concern.-

Be it known that I, LnoPoLD SELLNER, a subject of the Emperor ofAustria-l-Iungary, residing at Vienna, in the Province of Lower Austria,in the Empire of Austria-Hungary, have invented'certain new "and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Signaling by Means of Sources of Light,(for which Letters Patent have been obtained in the following countries,to wit: In Austria, dated November 27, 1894, registered Vol. 44, Fol.6,119; in Germany, dated August 9, 1894, No. 81,144; in France, datedAugust 11, 1894, No. 240,693, and in Italy, dated December 31, 1894,Reg. Gen. Vol. XXIX, Fol. 37,743, Reg. Att. Vol. LXXIV, Fol. 75 and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de scriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, whichform a part of this specification.

Hitherto there have been employed for signaling at night, and inparticular for signaling-stations that change their locality, such asships, one or more sources of light, and in the latter case always morethan two, which are so arranged that in the case of a single light longand short flashes of white light, or for better and easier legibilityflashes of white and red light, are transmitted to the observer, whilein the case of several sources of light groups of white and red lightsare employed, which latter method has the great advantage that thesignals can be kept visible for any desired length of time, on whichaccount they are termec continuous signals. For prod ucing such signals,for example, with white and red lights according to a particular code,there are required at least three, but generally four or more,signal-lights. This larger number of lights on the one hand renders thesignaling more or less complicated, and on the other hand renders thereading of the signals more difficult, because as not only the strengthof the source of light but also the distance of these from each otherdetermine the legibility of the signals, while under existin gconditions of space, such as occur, for

n27, 1894, No. 44/6,ll9, and in Italy December 31,1894,

nautical miles and with a telescope at most four miles. 7

My present invention relates to a method of signaling by means ofsources of light of any kind, in particular those which are available onmoving signal-stations, such as ships,

whereby the above-mentioned disadvantages are entirely obviated by theemployment of only two signal elements or signal-lanterns placed at thegreatest possible distance apart, each of such signal elements beingadapted not only for giving white and red light, but also for givingintermittent white and red light, that is to say, lights that areobscured for any desired length of time. Thus in using only lights oftwo colors, such as white and red, there can be produced in each elementfor signaling purposes five fundamental or main signals,namely,white,red, intermittent white, intermittent red, and alternatewhite and red,

so that with a single element five different signals can be given, whilewith two such thirty different combinations suitable for sig- 8o n'alscan be given. If in certain cases it be desired to stillfurt-herincrease this number of signals, this can be done without increasing thenumber of elements by using a third color for the lights, or with onlytwo colors by longer or shorter obscurations with the intermittentlights, or by longer or shorter intervals with the alternate white andred lights. The distance apart of such signals can (as there are onlytwo signal-lanterns) be increased to the greatest available extent. Thusfor ships it may be equal to the entire available height of the masts,as the one lantern can be at the mast top while the other is at thebottom. The five signals producible by one such sig- 5 nal-lantern areproduced in such manner that each signal-lantern, which can contain oneor more sources of light, is so divided that the one half serves forgiving white light and the other half for giving red light. Both partsof the lantern can be provided with shutters actuated by mechanical orelectricalappliances, and which, according to the position given them bya commutator or transmitter, allow or prevent the passage of the lightfrom the parts of the lantern or cause the same to be transmittedintermittently or alternately, or there may be interposed between thesources of light of each signal-lantern and the commutator semiinsulateddisks, which in rotating produce the signals consisting of intermittentor alternate light effectsl Two such signal-lanterns constitute asignaling'station, and, as before stated, the one is situated at the topof the mast and the other near the deck in the case of ships. Thelanterns are preferably arranged rotatable, so that the signals can berendered visible over the entire horizon or only over part thereof. Inthe latter case it is advantageous to employ two signal-stations at oneand the same locality.

On the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 to a show a signal-lantern orsignal element for operating according to the above described method.Fig. 1 shows a vertical longitudinal section of the lantern, and Fig. 2shows a back view showing the actuating mechanism of the shutterdevices. Figs. 3 and 4. show horizontal sections through the lantern online :u .r, Fig. 2,viewed, respectively, upward and downward from theplane of section, as sources of light are taken-for example, electricglow-lamps, which for signaling are provided with shutters actuated byelectricity. Figs. 5 and (5 show separate views of parts of theactuating mechanism of the shutters. Fig. 7 shows the diagram of theelectrical connections of two signal-stations provided with thedescribed signal elements. Figs. 8 and 8 show the switchboard arrangedfor signaling according to this diagram, respectively, in the open andin the closed position. Fig. 9 shows a diagram of connections for thoselanterns in which the signals are produced by intermediate rotatablecontactdisks in place of the shutters. Figs. 9 and 9 are plan views twoof these disks. Figs. 10 and 11 show diagrammatically two signalstationson a vessel in elevation and plan, respectively, each station comprisingtwo cooperative signal elements.

As shown-at Figs. 1., 3, and at, the signallantern, which, for example,has two electric glow-lamps, is divided into two halves, of which theone serves for giving white and the other for giving red light. For thispurpose the upper lamp a is partially surrounded by a white glass Z) andthe lower one a by a red glass Z1. Around each of the two lamps arearranged in a circle blades 0, like louverboards, forming the shutterdevice. These blades, which are held in the closed position by springsf, Fig. 1, attached to their axis, project with pins 0' into notches (Zof an actuating-ring (Z, which when turned by means of the rod 6 or c,after overcoming the tension of the springs f, brings the blades into aradial position relatively to the light, so that the latter is thenvisible to the observer, as at Fig. 3, while by the reverse motion theblad es fold over each other and obscure the light, as at Fig. 4.

By suitably actuating the shutter-blades of each light of the one signalelement I am enabled with a red and a white light to produce five mainsignals, namely, as before stated, white, red, white intermittent, redintermit tent, and red and white alternately, while in combination withasecond signal element thirty combinations available for signals areobtainable.

The movement of the blades can be effected mechanically by means ofpulling-cords attached to the rods c e, or electrically by thearrangement shown at Figs. 1 to G, in which case the rods 6 c are ledinto the lanternchamber g at the back, which contains the electromotor7L, and four electromagnets i, of which one is shown at Fig. 5. Theelectromotor rotates by means of toothed gearing an actuating-shaft k,which at its upper and lower ends carries two actuating-cams Z and Z,the bosses of which are connected with the shaft by feather and groove,so as to rotate with, but at the same time can slide longitudinally uponthe same.

The cams Zare, as shown at Fig. 6, concentric, while the cams Z, Fig. 5,are eccentric to the shaft 7s, these being shifted in position onehundred and eighty degrees relatively to each other. Each of these fourcams is embraced by the forked end of a lever t", carrying the armatureof the corresponding electromagnet, and can be shifted on the shaft 7.;011 actuating the electromagnet in such manner that the cam is made toact upon a transmission-lever m, pressed by spring action against it,which acts upon the rod 6 or e.

The pushing back of the cams out of the reach of the corresponding leveron is eilected as soon as the action of the electromagnet ceases bymeans of the springs Z which draw back the armature-levers 2".

The concentric cams Z, on the actuation of their electromagnets, holdthe shutter-blades open, whereby at top a white light and at bottom ared light can issue from the lantern.

The upper eccentric cam Z produces the white intermittent light bycausing the shutters at each revolution of the cam to open and closeonce. The lower cam Z produces in a similar manner the red intermittentlight. If, lastly, both eccentric cams Z are actuated simultaneously bytheir electromagnets, then, in consequence of their being shifted onehundred and eighty degrees, the alternate white and red light will beobtained as fifth signal. The shuttcr-blades of the white light are inthis case closed, while those of the red light are open, and vice versa.

The current supply to the electromagnets Z is effected according to thesignal-key chosen by means of a current-distributer, which, ac-

cording to one of the two connection-diagrams at Figs. 7 and 9 for twosignal-stations I- II, I II, can be a signal-transmitter A, of knownconstruction, and according to the other diagram can be a simple stoppercontact device B.

As shown at Fig. 7, the signal-transmitter A consists ofseparately-insulated contactrings S, rotatable in their common axis S,the contact-plates of which, on bringing the signal-transmitter intoposition for a certain signal, make electric contact with thecorresponding spring-contact m r w, W, and w r w, r The spring-contactsof the first group are connected to, the clamps n, from which theconductors to the upper lamps of the signal-stations I and I arebranched off, and the spring-contacts of the second group are connect-edwith the clamps m to which are connected the conductors from the twolower lamps of the signal-stations II II. p

The signal-transmitter A is connected by switch U and a conductor p,containing an illuminating-lamp L in a shunt, with the collecting-bars SS, which are connected with the source of electricity by supply andreturn conductors, and which are in communication with the conductorsleading to the signal elements of each station through switches u, u u,a by which these connections can be either made orbroken. h is theelectromotor in each lantern for actuating the shutter devices, and 1'z} d t' M are the electromagnets (indicated in Figs. 1 to 5 generally by2') for actuating the cams Z and Z. If, for example, it be desired toproduce in both signal-stations I II and I II the signal combination inthe upper lantern white and in the lower one white and red alternating,all the switches 10,, it, u to te are first closed. By this means thetwo lamps in each signal-station are made to show light and the motors71 are set in motion.

In the signal-transmitter, by the rotation of the disks S,the contact ismade with the spring w and also the contact with the springs w, and 1-2, in consequence of which the current will excite the electromagnets iin the upper lamps I I and the electromagnets 1}, '11 at in the lowerlamps II II. By this means the corresponding shutters for white lightwill be held open in the upper lanterns, so that such light will bevisible, while the two shutter devices of the lower lanterns will bealternately opened and closed, so that'the lights will appearalternately white and red.

In place of the signal-transmitter A the stopper contact-switch B of theconnectiondiagram Fig. 9 can also be used.

Figs. 8 and 8 show a switchboard suitable for connecting the lanterns ofeach signalingstation with the signal-transmitter A and the source ofcurrent. It consists of a box 0, situated near the signaling device,into which are led the conducting-cables from the lanterns I II I II,the connecting-cable p of the signaling device, and the conductors fromthe source of current, marked, respectively,

The four electromagnet-conductors of the lantern-cable of the upperlanterns I I are connected to each other by the clamps n and with thesignaling apparatus by the cable 19. In the same way theelectromagnet-conductors of the lantern-cable of the lower lanterns IIII are connected together by the clamps n and also with thecorresponding conductors.

of the signaling device.

The cover D of the box, which can open on a hinge q, carries on itsinner. side the collecting-bars s s, to which are connected theconductors from the source of current. To the bar 8 are connected'thefour supply-leads of the lantern-cable, (through the safety-lead fuses1", 13 4173,) while the return-leads pass through the switches a, a a, ato the collecting-bar s. I

From the bar 8 branches,through the safetyfuse 1",, the lead to thesignal-transmitter, which, by means of its return-conductor with switch11,, illuminates the signaling device by the lamps L and at the sametime also supplies with current through the lantern-cable thelantern-electromagnets that have been put in circuit by thesignal-transmitter.

Fig. 9 shows the diagram of connections for two signal-stations, thelanterns of which are arranged to give the before-mentioned main signalsand combiuationsthereof without the use of shutters. In this case thestopper contact-switch B is provided with contacts w 'r w, r, and wforthe u er lanterns II and with contacts w, r, w W and w for the lowerlanterns II II, which contacts give a continuous white, continuous red,intermittent white, intermittent red, and alternate white and red light.The contacts w r w r are directly connected with the correspondinglamps, so that on stopping the same a white or a red light can begiven.-

For producing the three other main signals the disks W R11 and W111 RVRH, rotated by the motor h, are introduced into the leads from thecorresponding contacts to v the lamps. These disks are half made ofinsulating material, Fig. 9}, and the disks for alternate white and redlight are in addition made double, and arearranged with their conductingparts shifted relatively to each other, Fig. 9, so that withcorresponding stoppering the current is led through the correspondingdisks and the lamp giving red light or that giving white light isintermitever part of the horizon, each lantern is so arranged that itslight is distributed only over a sector of about two hundred and thirtydegrees.

For each signaling locality, such as a ship, there are preferablyprovided two signalingstations, that is, two pairs of the describedsignal-lanterns, which, as will be readily understood from theforegoing, can be so actuated that either the same signal can be givenin both signal-stations or only the signals of the one station can beworked.

Figs. 10 and 11 show the arrangement of the two signaling-stations forships with two or more masts, in which the lanterns I 11, serving forsignaling forward and to one side, say to port, are carried by theforeinast, and those I II for signaling aft and to starboard on themizzenmast.

I claim- 1. A night signaling apparatus comprising a signalingelementcomposed of two normally-obscured signal-lights of unlike color,and screens adapted to alternately expose said lights to View, or tocontinuously or intermittently expose the same, for the purpose setforth.

2. Anight signaling apparatus comprising a revoluble signaling elementcomposed of two normally-obscured signal-lights of unlike color, andscreens adapted to alternately expose said lights to view, or tocontinuously or intermittently expose the same, for the purpose setforth.

3. A night signaling apparatus comprising two cooperative signalingelements each composed of two normally-obscured signal-lights of unlikecolor, and screens adapted to alternately expose to view the lights ofsaid elements or to expose one or both lights of each elementcontinuously or intermittently, for the purpose set forth.

4. A night signaling apparatus comprising two cooperative signalelements each composed of two normally-obscured signal-lights of unlikecolor, said elements located distant from each other and adapted torevolve, and screens adapted to alternately expose the lights of eachelement to view or to continuousl y or intermittently expose saidlights, for the purpose set forth.

5. A night signaling apparatus comprising two cooperative signalelements each composed of two normally-obscured signal-lights of unlikecolor, and screens adapted to alternately expose to view the lights ofeach element, or to continuously or intermittently expose to View one orboth lights of each element, or a light of unlike color of the twoelements, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. A night signaling apparatus comprising two distant cooperativesignaling elements each composed of two signal-lights of unlike color,and shutters normally obscuring the lights of said elements, ofelectrically-eontrolled shu tter-operating mechanisms, adapted to movesaid shutters to alternately expose to view the lights of said elementsor to eontinuously or intermittently expose said lights for the purposeset forth.

7. In a night signaling apparatus, the combination with distantsignaling elements each composed of two lights of unlike color, anautomatically-closing shutter for each of said lights, an actuatingdevice for each of the shutters adapted to open the same against thestress of its spring, a revoluble cam-shaft, and intermediate mechanismactuated by the cams thereon to move the shutter-actuating device, andmeans whereby any one of the shutter-operating devices may be held in, aposition to keep the shutters operated thereby continuously orintermittingly open, and whereby shutters for lights of unlike color maybe alternately opened, for the purpose set forth.

S. In a night signaling apparatus, the combination with distant signalelements each composed of two lights of unlike color, anautomatically-closing shutter for each of said lights an actuatingdevice for each shutter adapted to open the same, and an actuatingrodfor each shutter-actuating device; of a cam-shaft, an electric motorgeared thereto, cams revoluble with and movable vertically on said shaftand normally out of reach of the actuating-rods of the shutter-operatingdevices, electromagnets operating to move the cams within reach of saidrods, an electric generator and suitable electric connections with themotor, the electromagnets and signal-lights, and appliances whereby anyone of the aforesaid electroinagnets can be continuously orintermittingly energized and whereby two electromagnets controlling theshutters for unlike lights can be alternately energized, for the purposeset forth.

9. A signal element comprising a lantern provided with glasses of unlikecolor arranged one above the other, an antomatically-closin g shutterinterposed between the lamps and their glasses, a shutter-opening devicefor each of said shutters, a revoluble shaft, and intermediatecam-operated mechanism adapted to operate the shutter-opening devices,an electric motor geared with the cam-shaft, a pair of cams on saidshaft for each light, and an electromagnet for each cam adapted to shiftthe same into and out of reach of the intermediate cam-operatedmechanism, said mechanisms contained in the lantern, for the purpose setforth.

10. A signal element comprising a lantern composed of a signaling and anauxiliary chamber hinged together, the former having superposed lightsof unlike color, an electric lamp and an automatically-closingobscuringshutter for each light, 'independent shutteropening devices,located in said signalingchamber, a cam-operated actuating-rod for eachshutter-opening device extending into the auxiliary chamber; incombination with a cam-shaft, an electric motor geared thereto, two camsfor each actu ating-rod revoluble with and having sliding motion on saidshaft, and an electromagnet for each cam adapted to shift the same intoand out of reach of its actuating-rod, said motor, cam -shaft andelectromagnets contained in the auxiliary lantern-chamber, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

11. An arrangement for signaling by means of two signal-stations eachcomprising two signal elements I, II and I II, and in combinationtherewith a circuit-closer composed of four contact-rings S, and withthe brushes 10 r w? M and '20 TH wi wi for each station, saidcircuit-closer by suitably revolving its rings, adapted to beelectrically connected with the four signal elements, which latter inconjunction with their electric motors h by closing suitable switches aa if a are supplied with electricity which at the same time energizeselectromagnets 1'10, iv", in)", W, that operate the obscuring devices insuch manner that according to the position of the circuit-closer a lightof a given color can be continuously or intermittingly exposed to View,or lights of unlike color exposed to view alternately, substantially asset forth.

12. A night signaling apparatus for vessels, comprising two pairs ofsimilar revoluble signal elements, each element composed of two normallyobscured signal-lights of unlike color, and screens adapted toalternately eX- pose such lights to View, or to continuously orintermittently expose one or both lights of said elements, the latterarranged relatively to one another so that a signal can be seen over orsubstantially over the entire horizon, for the purpose set forth. I

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEOPOLD SELLNER.

Witnesses:

LEON Scruvnn, HARRY BELMONT.

